Alex Ram

Reference to the genus has appeared in several 19th-century textbooks on homeopathy. Richard Hughes wrote in ''A Manual of Pharmacodynamics'' (1870) "Bovista is said to be indicated, and to have proved curative in head affections characterised by a sensation as if the head were enormously increased in size". In ''Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica'' (1887), E. A. Farrington claims that ''Bovista'' spores restrict blood circulation through the capillaries, and suggests uses associated with menstrual irregularity, or trauma. He also mentions that ''Bovista'' produces some symptoms of suffocation, and might be useful in remedying asphyxiation resulting from inhalation of charcoal fumes. Even more ailments have been suggested to be improved with use of Bovista, such as "awkwardness in speech and action", "stuttering or stammering children", "palpitation after a meal", diabetes mellitus, ovarian cysts, and "acne due to cosmetics". However, claims of homeopathy's efficacy beyond the placebo effect are unsupported by the collective weight of scientific and clinical evidence.


Adapted from the Wikipedia article Bovista, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki